ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son just bought a motorcycle. I don't know if this is some version of a midlife crisis, but I need help stopping him! He is nearly 40 and a single dad. He is the only parent his daughter has, and I don't want her to lose him because he's finally found his wild side. I was a nurse for over 25 years, and during that time, I have...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My local grocery store was very busy and the checkout lines were long. I paid little attention to the lady without a cart in front of me as she spoke to someone on her phone, assuming that she was with the person in front of her.

About 10 minutes later, just before it was my turn to place my items on the belt, another lady ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I moved across the country nine years ago to be closer to my parents as they age. They are now in their early to mid-80s. My mother has recently had a few falls. One was bad enough that she had to be taken by ambulance to the ER because she was not able to stand. (I suspect some of her falling is due to having a drink or two at a ...Read more

Something I have lamented as a parent is that the cultural touchstones of episodic television were not something my kids would experience. Streaming changed the rhythm of watching TV, especially when shows arrive all at once and people watch them at different speeds. The sense that millions of people might be sitting down at the same time to ...Read more

Dear Annie: Five years ago, I lost my father to heart problems. Three months ago, I lost my mother after a terrible fall. I am 66, and I was her caregiver. I took early retirement at 62 so I could be there for her, and I do not regret it. But now that she is gone, I feel like the role I built my life around disappeared overnight, and I am not ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Eighteen months ago, I was staying with my son and his family when they had a get-together with his wife, "Corrine's," father. His wife, Corrine's stepmother, had just finished chemo for several different types of cancer. When Corrine's dad went to leave, I offered to put together a small plate for his wife, hoping it would make her ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My best friend got married last year in Peru. She and her husband invited family only, wanting to keep the wedding small due to budget. When she told me I wasn't invited, I tried to be supportive. I sent a gift, congratulated her and told myself not to take it personally. My fiance and I are getting married this year, and we have...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am the legal guardian of a relative who was born with a severe disability. Now middle-aged, she still has the mentality of a toddler. For reasons that are not relevant here, I promised her (and myself) when we were children that I would take care of her.

The problem? People, who probably think they're well-meaning, keep ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married nearly 40 years. My wife's father has passed, and her 81-year-old mother still lives on the family farm. My wife is on a loan her mother took out to buy part of that farm, and she handles everything for my mother-in-law. One of her brothers lives in the farmhouse and is a slob. He won't take off work to take their...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I work in an office with a man who has expressed an interest in me in various subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways, including winks. I have also caught him staring at me with intense longing. We communicate well, and he has told me I have influenced him. We are both disciplined, determined and accomplished men. I envy him for his easy ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been married to my husband for just over a year now, and I have been starting to get annoyed with how nice he is. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but it's getting to a point where I am finally starting to see just how much he lets his family, friends and even strangers walk all over him. For example, his sister constantly ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I believed that wearing all black was proper dress for anyone at a funeral, or any such service. In recent years, though, this seems to have changed. "Church dress," or subdued outfits in muted colors, seem to be acceptable.

A friend told me that it is pretentious to dress in all black when the deceased is not a close friend ...Read more

Dear Annie: My 72-year-old father retired from his accounting job two years ago and appointed himself "Director of Operations" of my household.

He lives 15 minutes away and stops by unannounced at least three times a week. He's reorganized my garage ("Your shelving system was illogical"), corrected how my kids load the dishwasher and replaced...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My son took out a couple of education loans, which I cosigned when he was starting college 10 years ago. A couple of years ago, I found out (from someone else) that he never finished college. When I confronted him, he mentioned that he "intends" to finish college and is working toward it. He did not mention how many credits he has ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I have decided that we don't want to have kids. There are many reasons that I won't get into, but we believe it's best for us. The issue is that both sets of parents really want us to have kids. We have been married for two years, and they have started asking about it all the time. We are both so annoyed that we ...Read more